Mesa DUI Accident Attorneys

We’ve all read the news stories and watched the evening news and thought about how awful it was when a DUI hurts an innocent person. While DUIs (driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol) is a crime in ever state, is there anything that an innocent victim or their family can do when they’re impacted? They didn’t ask for extra medical expenses and property damage. They didn’t ask for a potential disability or even for their loved one to die.

Hastings & Hastings’ Mesa DUI accident attorneys understand that being the innocent victim or the family left behind because of a DUI is a time of uncertainty and struggle. We’re here to help you understand your legal options. We invite you to schedule a free case review so that you can know your legal rights and experience our compassionate care and zealous legal representation for yourself.

What’s the Difference Between Criminal and Civil Liability in DUI?

Each state, including Arizona, creates laws that criminalize certain acts. This includes DUI in the State of Arizona. A DUI may involve a vehicle accident of some kind. If it is the type that involves another vehicle (or if there’s a passenger who is injured), the driver who is charged with the DUI may also have civil liability.

With criminal liability, the State must prove that person charged with DUI was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They may use some sort of evidence, such as breathalyzer results, blood work results, or experts in detecting if someone is under the influence of certain drugs to prove to the court that they were driving while under the influence. The charge they face under the law depends on several factors, including whether someone was injured in an accident. If found guilty, the defendant may serve jail or prison time, receive a fine, or even pay restitution.

With civil liability, the victim, or the family of the victim in certain instances, has the right to sue the defendant of the criminal DUI case for the injuries they caused to the victim. They may be able to sue regardless of whether the defendant is found guilty of DUI since the accident caused a loss. If the civil court rules in favor of the victim, they may receive compensation.

You’re Injured Because of a DUI Accident in Mesa: Now What?

If you were hurt in a DUI accident in Mesa, it’s vital to keep in mind that in addition to getting immediate medical care, you should also speak with an attorney who is skilled in handling DUI accident cases in Mesa. One of the reasons to do so is because the alleged DUI driver may not be the only person who may be named as a defendant in your claim. Examples include but may not be limited to:

• The manager of the bar, restaurant, or night club that continued to serve the driver if it was clear they were intoxicated
• The owner of the bar
• The owner of the restaurant
• The owner of the night club
• The server
• The bartender
• Anyone who kept serving the driver if it was clear they were intoxicated and shouldn’t have continued to be served

Free Consultation with a Mesa DUI Accident Attorney

If you were hurt because of a DUI accident in Mesa, Hastings & Hastings is here to help. Schedule your free case review now.